[kictanet] Rural communication: Is there still a need for telecentres now that , there are mobile phones?"

[alice]

(Apologies for cross posting)

A new report out on wireless in rural Africa. Please help circulate.

The rationale for the report is featured in an APCNews article out today
"Rural communication: Is there still a need for telecentres now that 
there are mobile phones?" 
http://www.apc.org/en/news/wireless/all/rural-communication-there-still-need-telecentres-n
which is also available in French and Spanish.

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Unbounded possibilities: Observations on sustaining rural ICTs in Africa
http://www.apc.org/en/system/files/SustainingRuralICTs_0.pdf

This study commissioned by APC and written by wireless expert Ian Howard 
explores sustainable ICT and the need for wireless internet access for 
development (W4D). Intended to serve as a guide to members of the W4D 
community involved in African initiatives, Howard draws conclusions 
based on his observations of two telecentres in Tanzania with very 
different business models. Howard’s work is intended to inspire others 
to share their observations about viable sustainability models for rural 
telecentres. Future plans include publishing it online in a 
participative format that will allow others to contribute to it, thus 
building a knowledge base on the topic.

These two communities featured in this study illustrate that the need 
for internet access is strong, especially in countries where WiMAX and 
similar wireless bands are available, challenging the current hype that 
rural communities ICT needs are being met by mobiles phones.

The study consists of five main sections. The author begins by 
describing sustainable ICT in the preface, followed by a rationale 
section, in which he questions whether or not the need for wireless 
exists. A methodology section explains the data collection process and 
how the two case studies were selected, followed by the two case 
studies. Each case study is broken down into four sections: Background, 
observations, financial analysis and conclusion. The author then adds 
his final notes and appendices at the end of the study.

The first case study, the Family Alliance for Development and 
Cooperation, is an initiative by a self-taught technician, Joseph 
Sekiku, who created a telecentre on his property with the help of small 
grants. Due to the exorbitant dial-up prices and sluggish connection 
speeds, Sekiku turned to wireless and began building a network. Though 
he struggles financially to keep the centre running, the centre is kept 
operational through the collaboration and dedication of the community. 
Because of the ongoing need for resourcefulness Sekiku has become a 
highly knowledgeable individual who is now a leader and expert in 
computer technologies in his community. Howard draws certain conclusions 
based on Sekiku’s experience, which can serve other newly emerging 
telecentres. Through Sekiku’s story, Howard demonstrates how a low-cost, 
sole-proprietor telecentre can be built and flourish in rural areas.

Some 200 km away, in the bigger but largely underdeveloped town of 
Mwanza, the Seregama telecentre, is the end result of several 
initiatives carried out over the past four years. It boasts many 
different services for its numerous clients including a cyber café, a 
conference room, an e-training lab and so on, which generate revenue. 
However, the revenue does not cover all the maintenance expenses of the 
centre and so it is dependant on grants and other sources of financial 
assistance. The telecentre is a useful example of a sustainable ICT 
initiative in rural Tanzania, as it serves as a model for community 
engagement and is a symbol of hope for youth within the community While 
it is not financially self-reliant, it remains sustainable because it is 
embraced by all of its stakeholders.

APC thanks Open Society Institute (OSI) for its additional support of 
the study.

http://www.apc.org/en/system/files/SustainingRuralICTs_0.pdf

=======================================
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APC, and share the APC vision - a world in which all people have easy, equal and affordable access to the creative potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve their lives and create more
democratic and egalitarian societies.

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